Family Campout!!!

On Friday night we went on our very first ever family camping trip. Savannah & Connor had never been camping and Savannah's been looking so forward to it. We went to Buescher State Park, which is about an hour away (a little past Bastrop if you're from Texas). Dallin was able to leave work early, so we got there about 4:30 on Friday. We went with 3 other families in our ward (minus one mom who was away visiting her sister...we missed you!).

Dallin found this butterfly right when we got there. It had a "broken" wing and couldn't fly very high or far. Zach was FREAKING out and screaming hysterically. Luckily our fellow camping families weren't there yet and missed out on that lovely drama. Savannah loves to help Daddy with everything...

This tent actually fit all of us pretty well. The majority of the tent is screen and we left the cover off. It was pretty warm and that helped keep it cooler. It was awesome though because the trees were all overhead and it felt like you weren't sleeping in a tent. We just didn't get eaten alive by the millions of bugs (well almost).

This is what Zach was waiting for all week. Our friends have a chihuahua named Dobby. Zach hardly gave that dog a moments rest (Savannah too). Sorry Dobby!

Dallin & I had foil dinners while the kids roasted hot dogs.

This is what happens to the bishop when he stays up too late playing Settler's of Catan.I went to bed at 12:30am or so but the game didn't finish until 2:00am I think. I was awake for most of it, but just not coherent enough to play anymore.

Connor did amazingly well sleeping in a tent for the first time. About 8:15pm he got pretty cranky. He cried for a few minutes, but once he calmed down he just lay by himself for another hour in the tent quietly until it got dark. He woke up periodically through the night but always just lay back down and went right back to sleep. After he woke up at 7:00 he just lay there for a while, taking in the trees above him (he's pointing at them in the picture).

The kids loved playing with friends all morning. One girl brought her bike and chased them all around. That kept them all busy for quite a while. It also made all the kids running blurs in all my pictures.

All the men getting breakfast ready...

It was fun to get to know these families better!

Savannah was in heaven with all the little girls to play with (the girls definitely outnumbered the boys).

Connor was in dirt heaven. He couldn't just play in the dirt. He had to pour it all over his hair and down his back into his diaper.

But it kept him happy all morning!

Then he found the mud. He wasn't so happy about the shower that followed.

We tried to go fishing at the lake, but all they caught was moss. Connor was tired and threw a big fit so we went for a walk most of the time they were fishing.

He threw the fit because he wanted to head right into the water.

We got home about 12:30 I think. While the boys took baths I discovered that they had been bit from head to toe. The worst is on their ankles, hips, bums, and other spots I won't mention. But they've got them everywhere. Dallin's ankles are pretty bad too.

We had an awesome time and look forward to doing it again when it gets a little cooler! Thanks to the friends who made it so fun!

Last night was our Ward Talent Show too. We only made it through part of it though. The kids were asking to go home and go to bed. We were exhausted too, so we left early. I'm sad we missed some of it, but it sure felt good to hit the pillow!

Memorial Day - Texas Natural Science Center

For Memorial Day we went to the Texas Natural Science Center. It's on the UT campus in Austin...and it's free. Awesome. The kids loved it and there was hardly anyone else there. Thanks for the idea Jeannie!

Zach's favorite thing...these bones were hanging in the main hall. It was huge! At the bottom of the picture you can see the exit sign with a door underneath to get an idea.Snakes and toads and fish...what fun.

This is a replica of the HIV virus I think. Connor saw it and said "Cookie!!!"

Connor also loved the interactive stuff because there were lots of colorful buttons to push on everything.

Check out the giant armadillo behind Savannah...

They had one floor that had tons of dioramas like this of all the wildlife in Texas. There was everything from fish to birds to bears...and it looked very realistic.

Jacob called this one the "Loch Ness Monster." It was found in a lake somewhere in Texas I think.

After the museum we went to lunch at McDonald's. Then I took the 3 older kids swimming for a couple of hours while Connor took a nap at home with Dallin. A fun day!

Tuesday was our girl's camp certification night. We cooked over a fire at one of our leader's house. It was great fun!
Yesterday we had playgroup at our house. Just before everyone left I started to get a bad headache. By mid-afternoon I was sick...fever, chills, sore throat, the works. Luckily I got lots of sleep last night and feel much better today. Sorry for anyone who was here to play...I hope I didn't pass it on!!!

Savannah's night out

On Saturday night Savannah and I went to her best friend's dance recital. She was so excited to go! After it started she was excited because she knew some of the other girls too. We sat on the end of the row and she kept getting up and dancing in the aisles along with the music, trying to do what the girls on stage were doing.Savannah was so excited because M had the pinkest costume in the whole recital. Cute friends!

A Hiking We Will Go...

I know I've done a ton of posts...we've just been busy having fun the last few days! And we've got to have it all for the journals!

This morning we went hiking in the Barton Creek Greenbelt. The kids did great and had a fun time I think. I carried Connor the first half in the carrier, until we got to Sculpture Falls. Then he walked back about halfway before Dallin carried him. Jacob spotted a turtle off to the side of the trail. Zach was so excited.

He said his favorite part of the day was "rescuing" it and taking it back to the water.

Connor was overjoyed to be out of the carrier, and then to put down with rocks and water...heaven.

Jacob spent our rest time finding the biggest rocks possible to make the biggest splashes.

We had to hold on to Connor or we would've had a very wet little boy.

He was so happy to be free. He kept yelling "Run! Run! Run!"

Savannah was dragging by the last 1/2 mile so I carried her for a while and then we took the last bit a little slower. I love my Nana.

Class Party!

A fun play place here in town (Jungle Java) offered a free class party for Zach's class. I think they offered it to lots of classes, but Zach's teacher was kind enough to accept it. It was completely free for all of the kids and their entire family to come and play tonight! The kids all had a blast and better sleep really good tonight. This is the only picture of Zach I got that isn't totally blurry...he wouldn't stop the whole time.Connor was right in there with the big kids (made me a little nervous, but he'd just plow right into them on the slide until they moved).

Connor and Savannah...Savannah was hard to find. She loved playing with the big kids.

Down Hair

Savannah's hair grows so fast! But she loves it and calls it her "down hair." Which means "long" hair. She primps all the time, combing it with whatever she finds...My Little Pony brushes, forks, whatever. A couple of weeks ago she was having a little fit while I was fixing her hair (which is actually pretty rare for her). I threatened to get her hair cut short and she immediately calmed down and said "No please Mommy. I don't want up hair. I really, really love my down hair." I finally took her to get it trimmed though. Since I didn't have my camera for her first "real" haircut last time I brought it along for some pictures.The finished product...look at all that hair on the floor! From such a little girl!

My sweet Savannah.

My Little Fishes

My dangerous fish. Zach often comes out of school with cool hats. But this was my favorite yet...a shark!My happy fishes. We went swimming for the first time this summer today right after school. The kids have been begging me for weeks. Of course the day we go it got all cloudy and a little windy. They were freezing cold after an hour, but had a great time. Connor was in heaven, of course.

I didn't attempt any pictures in the large pool today because Connor is fearless and jumps right in. He does okay with the life jacket and floaties, but still swallows a lot of water sometimes. So I have to be right there with him. As he starts to lose steam when he's swimming (and his face starts to go under more) he yells "Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Climb out!"

Police Station Field Trip

Today Savannah, Connor and I went on a field trip to the police station with some friends. It is a huge building that was built just last year. And they actually let us see everything. After seeing some offices we first visited the Animal Control portion of the building. That was Savannah's favorite part. She got to pet a "doggie & baby kittie."We got to meet real detectives and see where they work.

The facility is huge and you could easily get lost there. Connor loved how it echoed and made lots of noise...when he wasn't supposed to be.

This was cool for the moms...it was where the dispatchers work. The big screen through the window shows where all of the cops are on duty. The black box in the corner tells what is happening right now. One line said "burglary in progress" and showed where.

We got to visit the garage where they keep all the cars...undercover, DARE cars, patrol cars, bikes, armored vehicle, etc. The kids were lucky enough to have a guy come out to his car while we were there. They got to see the lights and sit inside...

Not the best picture, but Savannah and her friend in jail. They had 4 cells I think. Luckily there was no one there today so we got to see them. She wouldn't let me close the cell door though to take a picture.

At the end all of the kids got Jr. Officer Badge stickers and police bubbles. It was a fun time!

We're lucky to have friends that do fun things so that we can tag along!